Any of y'all cops?

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I am woundering if yal had any regrets from being a cop. I hear that those who done it a long time don't trust the system anymore.
 
I'm in the same path my friend. My father was an officer and all he had to tell me was that I should do absolutly anything else... him thinking the "system" wasnt trustworthy would be an understatement. But its what I've decided to do, even though I imagine I'll end up agreeing with him
 
Life is too short to do something you don't love. Pick a path that you think you'll enjoy, and reevaluate down the line if you find you don't like it. It's never too late to change direction - because, as I said, life is too short! :)

Find a local police detachment, and go ask them - I bet they'd be glad to talk to you about it.
 
I know in Virginia Beach area they have "Ride alongs". The precinct will let you ride in the car with an officer and you can see the activities. I know that doesn't answer the question, but will give you an idea of what kind of "glamourous" job it is. Plus they have a Junior explore type club that is like a mini police academy. You might look into that at your local department.
 
hi
been a police officer in a small NJ town for 33 years. due to changes in our pension starting with any new contracts i wil be leaving on or about june 2014. the governer here kinda made us and teachers the scapegoats for years of politicans taking from the system with both hands. but thats another story.
to answer your question, no, regrets. sadness at the way things have changed. of course, i am the resident dinosaur these days on my dept. i have seven years over the next most senior guy(the chief of police).
once upon a time it was fun. I loved going to work. it was like the wild west. we made up the rules as we went along. there were fights, action, car chases( no more of them, --liabilty, no persuits if it can be avoided). and the best part was no two days were the same, always something different. (to an exent, thats still true , thankfully)
and i was young.
it isn't fun anymore. we actually did used to help people once in a while. like i said, small town, we knew everyone, they knew us, and our familys. no more. huge condos, new construction everywhere, we are near NY City, on the other bank of the Huson river. so we have many people fleeing there but staying in commuting distance. nowadays at any gathering i dont recognize many people at all. when action was necessary back when, it usually meant taking someone home to mommy or the wife to sleep it off. now a days the name of the game is how many charges can you put on someone ,and all the while paying strick attention to paperwork, reports and reports and reports, have to, or you risk getting sued.
another big change, is a new building for us. we used to be in the basement of a hundred year old town hall, think andy and barney, and a few otis's. now we are in a big new modern police building. buzzers on all the doors, bulletproof glass everywhere, you can't come in and just chat. you' be on the other side of this glass and i would be asking you to speak louder the whole time. it is just "state your business and go" now. plus if you get anywhere near here you are on candid camera. but this is the trend now, i see it in every other dept. i visit.
and when it comes to that video i just mentioned, so are we.
perhaps the worst thing about it. i am on camera and video tape the whole 8 hours i am here. i run the shift now sit at the desk, answer phones, all of which are recorded and the radios too. on video the whole day. sometimes while sitting there i wave my middle finger around, so far no one has mentioned it to me :):):):)
it was a great career. i would do it again i guess, but i see the end, the world chages fast, people dont change near fast enough to keep up is what i think happened to me. so it's time to think about what's next. it is coming soon.
but for now i turn a pen whenever i can.
Sulli
 
Geez Sulli, except for the stuff about taking someone home to Mommy or the wife to sleep it off, everything you wrote could be said about my own job and profession. The security, the reports, how the job has changed over time. And I have nothing to do with law enforcement. I liked the part about waving the finger around for the camera. I'll have to try that.
 
Luke someone mentioned the explorerer scouts. I know where I am at they have at least one if not more explorer troops that are law enforcement oriented. They work on LE skills do ride alongs help at the parades. etc. Ask you local Police or Sherrifs dept if there is one in your area.

MIke
 
I've been a cop for 23 years, the past 12 I've spent in the bopmb squad and I dont regret a single day of it. Every day is an adventure and no two days are the same.

If its what you feel you want to do, dont hesitate, get going and make a difference to your community. The personal rewards are worth all the bullsh1t that comes inbetween!!
 
I retired last Feburary and have no regrets about the career path or my retirement, an honorable trade, loved ever day of the work.
 
Yes most areas have an explorer or other type of post. I'm a cadet in my local area, and to do ride alongs you have to be a cadet for 3 months, or participate in 3 events. You also have to score a 90% or above on a test they give you periodically, if you dont get the 90% you cant ride along till you do. It consists of 10 codes and the phonetic alphabet, planning prrinciples yada yada. Also you must have a perfectly clean criminal record. Go to your local leo and ask, I wish I had started a couple years earlier
 
If its what you truly want to do, go for it. We need guys on the depts that want to do the job. What's in your heart is what matters, not the pay check. You'll never get rich, have fame and glory, and never get credit for what you do, since most of the time it's a tough love thing that most won't understand. No matter what part of the job you want, you will most certainly start out at the bottom as a patrolman. From there it's up to you and how well you preform your duties to make rank, investigations or what have you. After 20 years, I can honestly say I have no regrets. You won't always like what you have to do and people will test your patients but remember your seeing them at their worst moments. Take nothing personal, since most will judge your uniform and never know you. Keep positive, calm and rational, and most importantly alway be honest. Even when you mess up. In this line of work it's your reputation that defines you with the public, coworkers and attorneys. Once you've established yours you'll move to the top, earn the trust and respect and have less challenges in court. Like said above, things have changed and will continue to as you go ahead. Keeping up on the laws, liabilities and paperwork is a must to keep you on top. Learn as much as you can because others will test your ability to make quick and safe decisions. The most important is... Make sure you come home every night safely.
 
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terryf said:
I've been a cop for 23 years, the past 12 I've spent in the bopmb squad and I dont regret a single day of it. Every day is an adventure and no two days are the same.

If its what you feel you want to do, dont hesitate, get going and make a difference to your community. The personal rewards are worth all the bullsh1t that comes inbetween!!
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I have worked as a city cop and deputy sheriff, full time and now part-time for 32 years now. The only thing I know about EOD people is to have really good ones, call them and then get the heck away!!!! 20 years ago, I had a farmer ask what he should do with a 40 year old case of gernades....I stayed back about 300 feet and called EOD they said I was a 1/4 mile too close.....I now use binoculars!!!! I have called EOD 6 times now in just the last couple years....EOD guys have more calls than we ever hear, and work the most dangerous and thankless division I know of.......I tip my hat to you sir!!!
 
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moke said:
terryf said:
I've been a cop for 23 years, the past 12 I've spent in the bopmb squad and I dont regret a single day of it. Every day is an adventure and no two days are the same.

If its what you feel you want to do, dont hesitate, get going and make a difference to your community. The personal rewards are worth all the bullsh1t that comes inbetween!!
Click to expand...


I have worked full time and now part-time for 32 years now. The only thing I know about EOD people is to have really good ones, call them and them get the heck away!!!! 20 years ago, I had a farmer ask what he should do with a 40 year old case of gernades....I stayed back about 300 feet and called EOD they said I was a 1/4 mile too close.....I now use binoculars!!!!
Click to expand...

I would have to agree with them. The USA Mk1 from that era could throw a lot of frag around and a good 1200 - 1500 feet on a good day! Although, chances are, they wouldve been pretty safe had they been stored infoors; then again why take that chance eh? :biggrin:
 
Luke,
I agree with the idea of going to a station and asking if you can ride or job shadow....

When you ask, let me give you a small word of advice...BE HUMBLE...cops are turned off by loud or presumptious people. Try a smaller Dept, (less rules) and be up front that you want to join them someday. Maybe they will let you ride along,but for liabilty reasons, many depts do not do that any more. Almost no depts around here will let you ride if you are under 18. So if that is the case, try to join an Explorer Scout Group...we have one that hangs out with our Sheriff's Office. The respect they recieve from cops is based on their individual personality, some are well liked and recieve good benefits, others not as much. We also have an intern program, which is just for college students entering their Senior year.

Remember be humble and respectful, but that does not include idolizing or drolling over the sworn guys. Good Luck....
 
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I'm not a cop. I'm a criminal defense lawyer.
I, too, remember the days when the kid got taken home to Dad or Dad got taken home to Mom. And when the dispute was resolved right then.
And now if there is a domestic call someone is going to get arrested. Or if a kid has had a few drinks (underage) he's going to jail then then, maybe, into a diversion program.
There are mostly good cops out there but a lot of the time they don't have any more discretion. Weaving in the road and three bottles of pills in the car you get arrested for DUI drugs. Doesn't matter that you were just searching for something on the seat. Let the lawyers and judges figure it out.
After all, if they did not arrest you and you later got in a wreck they will be written up.
The cops I know who are retiring are upset with how things had changed and with the pension changes and new rules and are glad they are retiring.
But I just saw a class of new recruits being given a lecture in the Solicitor's office so there are still a bunch of folks wanting to get in the business.
Lee
 
moke said:
The only thing I know about EOD people is to have really good ones, call them and then get the heck away!!!! 20 years ago, I had a farmer ask what he should do with a 40 year old case of gernades....I stayed back about 300 feet and called EOD they said I was a 1/4 mile too close.....I now use binoculars!!!! I have called EOD 6 times now in just the last couple years....EOD guys have more calls than we ever hear, and work the most dangerous and thankless division I know of.......I tip my hat to you sir!!!
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Should have just done what the Army would have done....sent them to the Marines and told them they had something new for them to play with.:wink:
 
wolftat said:
moke said:
The only thing I know about EOD people is to have really good ones, call them and then get the heck away!!!! 20 years ago, I had a farmer ask what he should do with a 40 year old case of gernades....I stayed back about 300 feet and called EOD they said I was a 1/4 mile too close.....I now use binoculars!!!! I have called EOD 6 times now in just the last couple years....EOD guys have more calls than we ever hear, and work the most dangerous and thankless division I know of.......I tip my hat to you sir!!!
Click to expand...
Should have just done what the Army would have done....sent them to the Marines and told them they had something new for them to play with.:wink:
Click to expand...


WOW!!
 
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